Direct action paper punch



Oct. 24, 1961 w. H. MISSON 3,005,371

DIRECT ACTION PAPER PUNCH Filed March 25. 1957 INVENTOR. WILL/AM H. MISSON 5W v Mai A T TORNEVS 3,005,371 DIRECT ACTION PAPER PUNC H William H. Misson, Los Altos, Calif., asslgnor to Zip Products Co., a partnership Filed Mar. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 648,226 4 Claims. (El. 83-549) My invention relates to means for use in perforating assembled sheets of paper with one or more holes. Such devices are especially useful for ofiice and desk work and it is a particular object of the present invention to provide a very light, simple, inexpensive device for handy use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a direct action paper punch in which the amount of mechanism is substantially reduced over the normal arrangement but with nearly the same capacity for punching paper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which can be readily fabricated in quantity by the utilization of mass production parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paper punch useful at the option of the user to punch two' holes simultaneously or to punch but one hole at a time.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a paper punch readily assembled and disassembled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a paper punch readily usable on a desk or table top and also readily usable when held in the hand of the user.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a paper punch in which the alignment of the parts is not critical and which therefore operates well despite minor inaccuracies in manufacture or assembly.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a generally improved paper punch.

Other objects together with the foregoing are attained in the embodiment thereof described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a paper punch constructed in accordance with the invention, certain portions being broken away to disclose the interior construction and other parts being broken away in section to show the structural arrangement.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the structure of FIG- URE l.

FIGURE 3 is a view with parts in section as indicated by the lines 33 of FIGURE 2, but in position punching two holes.

FIGURE 4 is a view comparable to FIGURE 3 but showing the device in position punching one hole.

While the direct action paper punch of the invention can be embodied in a number of different forms, it has successfully been incorporated as shown herein. In this arrangement, there is provided a base, generally designated 6, which conveniently is a hollow enclosure of metal having an inclined table 7 on its forward upper portion and a relatively'large opening 8 in its bottom portion. The base 6 toward the rearward area is cut down to afford room for a die plate9. This conveniently is an inset rectangular metal plate of material considerably harder than the material normally used for the remaining part of the base. Within the confines of the plate 9 are two holes 11 and 12. Preferably, the base 6 is provided with continuing apertureslS in registry With the holes 11 and 12 to afford access through the holes to the hollow interior 14 of the base.

Forming a superstructure 16 is a metallic extrusion 17 of approximately rectangular cross-section preferably having an inclined rear wall 18. The superstructure, for the most part, is spaced from the plate 9 to afford a slot 19 for the reception of a paper packet but for its remaining portion 21 is extended so as to abut the plate 9. The

portion 21 is engaged by threaded bolts 22 passing through the material of the base 6 and seated in recesses 23 therein so as to pull together the base 6, the die plate 9 and the superstructure 16. Rubber feet 24 are tightly pressed into the recesses 23 after the bolts 22 are installed in order to conceal and protect the bolts and also to serve as non-marring supports for the base 6. The extrusion 17 can be left open at its ends, as extruded, or can have its ends closed by removable plugs, preferably plastic. For clarity herein, the superstructure 16 is shown with open ends.

Disposed with the superstructure and adapted to slide therein are die plungers 31 and 32 of relatively hard rod stock preferably beveled at their lower ends to serve as cutters. The plungers 31 and 32 are preferably slidable within the guide surfaces or guides formed in the upper Wall 33 of the extrusion 17 and also formed in the lower wall 34 thereof. These guides are spaced substantially apart to serve as good aligning surfaces for the die plungers and are substantially in vertical alignment with the die holes 11 and 12 into which the plungers 31 and 32 can extend accurately while being guided by the superstructure 16.

In order to serve several purposes, and particularly to urge the die plungers upwardly out of the holes 11 and 12,there is provided a spring 36 having a plurality of central, helical convolutions 37 and relatively long extended ends 38 and 39. These ends are each turned substantially at right angles to pass through suitable cross bores 41 in each of the die plungers 31 and 32. The helical spring 37 can readily be assembled with the die plungers. It is introduced through the open end of the extruded superstructure 16 and then is rotated into position with the bent end portions extending through the cross bores 41. The position of the cross bores and of the extended arms 38 and 39 of the spring are such that in the relatively relaxed position of the spring, the ends thereof abut the upper wall 33 of the superstructure 16 substantially as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, thus serving as upper stops. The spring, particularly when stressed as shown in FIGURE 3, may move slightly but abuts against the lower wall 34 which then serves as a fulcrum point or stop.

To operate the punch, there is provided an operating bar 46 of generally rectangular configuration having beveled edges and fabricated of metal or equivalent rigid material. The operating bar in its lower face is provided with a pair of sockets 47 and 48 of substantially circular cylindrical configuration and spaced so that the sockets encompass the respective die plungers 31 and 32. There is a substantial space between the die plungers and the sockets, however, and this space is occupied by rubber or rubber-like deformable connectors 49 and 51 in the shape of sleeves and of such size as frictionally to engage the.

respective die plungers snugly and also to seat frictionally and snugly within the walls of the sockets. Furthermore, the connectors 49 and 51 not only seat at the upper end of the recesses but also project therefrom to serve as resilient bumpers against the upper wall 33 of the superstructure 16 when the bar 46 is depressed.

In the assembly of the device, after the die plungers are put in position in the superstructure and the spring 36 is installed, the rubber-like connectors are inserted into the sockets in the operating bar and are then frictionally assembled on the die plungers. The mechanism is then ready for operation. When a packet of papers is introduced into the slot 19, the operating bar 46 is then depressed. If the users thumb, for example as shown in FIGURE 3, exerts force adjacent the center of the operating bar, the force is substantially equally distributed to the two die plungers 31 and 32. These are thus simultaneously depressed to cut through the paper packet leaving appropriate holes therein and depositing the cut out chips within the chamber 14 in the hollow base.

The spring 37 is at the same time put in further tension.

The depression of the operating bar continues until the members 49 and 51 act as resilient stops.

9 When the operator releases pressure from the operating bar, the spring 36 is effective to restore the parts to their original position. The die plungers rise under the spring influence until the spring ends abut the under surface of the top wall 33 of the superstructure. The punch is then again ready for further operation.

If desired, as shown in FIGURE 4, a packet of papers occupying the entire recess in the punch may receive but a single punched hole. The operator merely places his thumb substantially over but one of the die plungers, such as the die plunger 31, and depresses the operating bar at one end only. So little force is distributed to the other die plunger 32 that it remains in the uppermost position under the influence of the spring end 39 while the spring end 38 yields to permit the normal operation of the actuated plunger 31. The rubber-like connectors 49 and 51 are sufficiently deformable so that despite the fact that the operating bar when so pressed is canted or cocked, the forceexerted on the actuated die plunger 31 is still substantially axial and the plunger does not bind or stick in its guide. When the single hole has been punched, the user releases the pressure upon the operating bar and the spring end 38 restores the single, depressed punch plunger and the operating bar to their initial condition.

While the punch is often used as a desk instrument as illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, it is also utilized off.

the desk by having the user graps it in his hand with the fingers, for example, underlying the base 6 and with the base of his thumb resting on the operating bar 46. When papers are introduced into the slot 19, the user can then by squeezing his hand to urge one or both of the die, plungers through their operating cycle.

The chips or punchings discharged into the chamber 14 in the hollow base are normally retained by a readily removable thin sheet metal cover 52 having a pair of struck up lugs 53 for interengaging with a bottom ledge 54 formed on the base. An upstanding lug 56 near the forward end of the sheet 52 has sufficient resilience to engage firctionally against the edge of a ledge 57 extending rearwardly rearwardly along the bottom of the base 6. The user can engage a forward lip 58 of the closure 52 and swing it about the lugs 53 to an open and detached posi-' I As a further adjunct, the base 6 is preferably provided with a guide aperture 59 through which can be seen indicia 61 on a gauge rod 62 slidable laterally of the paper punch The rod 62 works in suitable openings in the end walls of the base 6 and is retained by the forward portion of the die plate 9. The gauge rod 62 is readily adjustable transversely in the customary fashion and gives appropriate indioations through the window 59.

While the paper punch as described does not have any multiplication of leverage in its operation, it is still effective through a substantial thickness of paper in that the cutting edges of the die plungers 31 and 32 can be inclined at a rather steep angle to the axis of motion to afford a substantial equivalent of leverage multiplication. The operating bar 46 is often made of bright and attractive metal or is readily fabricated of plastic, for example a clear plastic, and can receive either by engraving or by molding or by other means various indicia, for example, numbers or initials or the like.

What is'claimed is:

1. A direct action paper punch comprising a frame forming a pair of parallel guides, a pair of plungers each being disposed in one of said guides, spring means engaging said frame and said plungers for urging said plungers into upper positions on said frame, an operating bar overlying and solely supported on both of said plungers, said operating bar having sockets therein within which the ends of said plungers are loosely received, and a pair of rubber-like sleeve connectors, each of said sleeve'connectors being disposed to surround and frictionally engage a respective one of said plungers and being disposed within a respective one of said sockets and frictionally to engage said operating bar, said sleeve connectors being deformable to act as pivot connections between said operating bar and said plungers when one end of said operating bar is depressed to depress one of said plungers while said spring means retains the other of said plungers in said upper position.

2. A punch comprising a base, said base having a pair of spaced die guides thereon having parallel axes, a pair of die plungers disposed in said die guides and guided thereby for rectilinear translation along said axes, said guides being so constructed and arranged as to confine said plungers to rectilinear movement, a substantially rigid operating bar supported on the upper ends of said plungers and being solely supported thereby for limited lateral sliding movement thereon, and resilient.

means holding said operating bar on said plungers but 'being deformable to permit limited lateral sliding of and tilting of said bar relative to each of said plungers, an anvil below said plungers and cooperating therewith for punching holes in sheet material, and spring means separately biasing said plungers away from said anvil whereby either or both of said plungers may be moved toward said anvil by the application of pressure to said operating bar.

3. A punch as defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient means comprises a sleeve of rubber-like material embracing the upper end of each die plunger and secured to said operating bar.

4. A punch as defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient means comprises a body of rubber-like material having a portion thereof extending below said operating bar in position to engage said base upon depression of said operating bar and thereby serving as a resilient bumper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 736,614 Mendenhall Aug. 18, 1903 1,174,883 McLuckie Mar. 7, 1916 2,389,105 Kern Nov. 13, 1945 2,436,801 Gasio Mar. 2, 1948 2,587,749 Misson Mar. 4, 1952 2,594,552 Granberg Apr. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 30,591 Switzerland May 5, 1904 324,783 Germany Sept. 6, 1920 1,104,491 France June 15, 1955 740,305. Great Britain Nov. 9, 1955 

